7. Be In The Know

Find 10 to 20 minutes every morning to read the news. Knowing what’s going on in the world will help you become a natural conversationalist in the office instead of a weary head-nodder who’s slumped over his coffee while someone else leads all the chatter. Plus, the more you read, the more you’ll know, which will help you stand out from the people who only pretend to be informed by regurgitating what they saw on The Daily Show the night before. Also, the practice of reading exercises your brain and promotes general comprehension, not to mention that knowing what’s going on around you makes you a more conscientious citizen of the world, so start taking the time to become more connected to community and your interests while reaping the social benefits of reading.